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We won't give up on Tahir: South Africa

Steve Larkin

South Africa have given up winning the match, but won't give up on Imran Tahir despite the legspinner recording the worst bowling figures in Test cricket.

Tahir returned figures of 0-260 in a horror second Test against Australia in Adelaide.

And while South Africa's assistant coach Russell Domingo says hopes of winning in Adelaide have gone "out of the window", he's adamant Tahir won't be thrown out with them.

Chasing 430 runs to win, the Proteas will resume on Monday's final day at 4-77 and admitting a draw is their best possible result.

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Tahir's punishment continued on Sunday when he finished the second innings with 0-80, after posting 0-180 in the first dig.

The Pakistani-born spinner conceded, on average, more than seven runs from each of his 37 overs in the match, managing just one solitary maiden.

Domingo said the South African camp would offer Tahir some love after his wretched return.

"It is never good seeing a quality player in situations like that," Domingo told reporters.

"But he is a really resilient person, he is a tough guy, he has got a lot of confidence in his ability.

"Obviously he has got some things to work on and some things to think about.

"But the players and management will rally around him and try to make sure that he takes a lot of learning out of these past couple of days."

Domingo said the Proteas conceded the impossibility of scoring 353 runs with six wickets in hand on a wearing final day pitch.

"We know that 350 on the last day with four wickets down is probably out the window," he said.

But the world's No.1 ranked Test pledged to fight to what looms as a bitter end.

"South Africans pride ourselves on our resilience," Domingo said.

"We know that we are under a little bit of pressure at the moment but there is every possibility that something special could happen tomorrow and there is an opportunity for someone to make a major play for his country."

Injured star Jacques Kallis, carrying a torn hamstring, will bat at the fall of the next wicket but not play in the Perth Test starting on Friday.